


Impromptu

by 29TvG



Category: The Sound of Music - Rodgers/Hammerstein/Lindsay & Crouse
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:21:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 21,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26284102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/29TvG/pseuds/29TvG
Summary: Why did Georg dance with Fraulein Maria? Three days after the puppet show, Georg is bedridden and discovers some interesting facts...
Relationships: Georg von Trapp/Maria von Trapp
Comments: 1
Kudos: 28





	1. Chapter 1

Georg walked around his garden looking for some peace that didn't seem to be with him these days. While he was walking to the Pegasus statues he started wondering what was happening to him. He felt he had changed, he didn't feel like before, and he couldn't comprehend why. After those years of being alive without wanting to live he now felt like he was starting to wake up from a horrible dream and was once again becoming the man he was before Agathe died. And it wasn't only because he had started to reconnect with his children, but also because his hard and cold exterior was breaking little by little, showing more of his passionate nature.

There was something Georg couldn't stand; losing control. He loved to be in charge. When he was underwater in his U-boat he used to anticipate every move, every situation, and always survived when something unexpected happened thanks to his cool head. He was always analyzing, his mind never stopped working. That's how he was raised. However, he would be foolish if he didn't accept that since Fraulein Maria arrived at Aigen everything had changed.

Lately, Georg had to control himself because he had the strangest desires. Sometimes he wanted to extend his hand and touch her hair just because he needed to know if it was as soft as it seemed. When he heard her voice he would walk around his house until he finally reached that melodic and beautiful sound. Even if Georg didn't see her, just listening to her singing or her laugh was like a balm, it calmed his interior beast, it gave him peace. It was ridiculous! If he were a teenager discovering women for the first time he could somehow excuse himself, but at his age, it was almost irrational.

He and Fraulein Maria had an unspoken truce after the rowboat incident, yet they still had their disagreements. It seemed like when he was looking at her something changed and their talks, at first friendly, turned into arguments in which neither of them wanted to lose. Sometimes they'd bicker just to see who could make the other one angrier. He couldn't stop himself, it was quite irresistible to see how her cheeks turned into a beautiful red while she said anything and everything that came into her mind. In those moments she was fascinating, even endearing. However, he really thought he had his feelings under control, until the puppet show, when his world turned upside down.

He could perfectly recall her blue dress, how she really seemed an angel with her golden hair. His eyes were always scanning the room until he found again her blue dress, admiring how beautiful she was. Georg was conscious he had to be careful, Max almost caught him that time. He had disguised his fascination until the governess approached him with the guitar, coaxing him, begging him with her eyes for a song. If Fraulein Maria and his children wanted him to sing he would do it, how could he say no to those beautiful eyes? At that moment he finally knew he was entirely lost.

"Yes, definitely I'm out of control," Georg muttered angrily to himself, gripping the gate while he was looking at the lake. "But I won't lose, I must keep my composure."

Georg sighed, he was very tired. He couldn't even sleep more than three hours because when he closed his eyes he saw her blue eyes, and when he fell asleep the governess was in his dreams. They didn't do anything improper, they just were in front of each other and he just admired her from distance. She was such a strong woman, so passionate, how could she ever be happy at the abbey? Sometimes he even tried to reach her in his dreams, but he could never touch her, she just slipped when his fingers were near hers. He going mad, he thought irritably. Perhaps, as he always told himself, if he didn't say "Fraulein Maria" too much in his head it would be like she was just an illusion, a dream, a product of his mind and not something real.

He put his hands inside the pockets of his trousers and walked past the gazebo. Ever since he had started thinking too much about his governess, Georg found that walking at night in his garden, listening to the water and looking at the moon had a calming effect on him. It was the only time he had the opportunity of disciplining his thoughts and not being interrupted by his children, or Elsa's gossiping or Max's snickers while he was drinking his expensive wine.

The best company he had that moment was the sound of his pristine shoes against the grass, feeling the wind on his face. At least Georg knew Max was in Salzburg visiting some friends and Elsa was in Vienna, looking for the perfect dress and preparing the grand and glorious party. The party...it was quite easy to forget he had accepted Elsa's suggestion about the party, but it was quite hard to forget that night for other reasons. That blue dress, again, back to torture him!

He stopped, adjusted his jacket and crossed his arms before resuming his walk. The night was the coldest they had had this summer. Even with his jacket, he felt the chill of the wind against his skin. He shivered, but he didn't want to go to the villa, walking at night was necessary if he wanted some sleep.

As he neared the trees he heard a clap of thunder. Georg remembered the dark clouds he had seen earlier in the afternoon and cursed under his breath. With military precision his mind calculated how far it was to the boathouse and moved in that direction, knowing the house was still some distance away.

Georg sighed again, annoyed with himself as he thought about the future. His iron control was slipping easily and he needed to do something, but he was at a loss. It was crystal-clear his children would be devastated in September. Despite not having his affection, they had finally found a mother figure. They had blossomed under Fraulein Maria's care and he would be always grateful to her, she had done, in one and a half months, what he hadn't been able to, in four years.

Of course, he loved his brood, but he had thought the best way of protecting them was to keep them at distance, not letting them see how his grieving was killing him. But now he knew it had been his way of coping with the pain of losing Agathe. He had barely been able to look into their faces because of their resemblance to his beautiful wife. It had been childish and reprehensible behavior which had heartbreaking consequences for them, yet it was the only thing he could do. While he had many medals, he wasn't brave, not as a widower and even less as a father.

Georg arrived at the boathouse and sat on the bench. Stretching his long legs, he closed his eyes and breathed in the fresh air, letting his thoughts drift back to his governess. Every time he remembered she had to go back to the abbey he felt a pang of pain in his chest. It was irrational, he was merely attracted to her, after all. But it was disconcerting how his physical desire towards a postulant had that effect in him. Maybe because he had been inside his bubble four years without paying attention to women, or probably it was the fact that she was only the second woman in his life who dared to speak to him freely without fearing his temperament.

And what about Elsa? She was charming, witty, graceful, the perfect hostess, beautiful, gorgeous. Elsa was a great friend, and in a way she had saved him from his despair. She had managed to keep him afloat when his ship looked like it was sinking. However, floating wasn't the same as sailing. And when his governess invaded his dreams he felt guilty like he was betraying Elsa. He shivered again and now he couldn't blame the wind. He knew he should be thinking about proposing to Elsa, but the more he got to know his governess the harder it was to take that step. It was if there was an invisible chain around his neck squeezing little by little. Determinedly, he repeated to himself it was just an attraction, it wasn't that passionate love he felt for his wife. After all, that kind of love only happens once in a life.

With each thought, he heard the thunderclaps nearer as if the storm could sense his own torment. Suddenly he felt a cold drop in his cheek and Georg opened his eyes, looking at the sky. He had been so preoccupied with Fraulein Maria and his children that he didn't realize it had started to rain.

Raindrops started to fall quickly and in the blink of an eye, it was raining in torrents. Georg stood up, he needed to get to the villa soon. If he was fast enough he could make it before Franz locked the door, and with luck, he would remain unnoticed. He was soaked, with his hair plastered into his skull and some locks falling in his forehead. Cursing under his breath like a seaman, he accelerated his pace, running in the end until he finally made it to the door.

He entered the villa, closing the door without making any noise. The villa was in silence, only the ticking of the clock could be heard. At least it seemed everyone was in bed, thank God the governess could take such simple instructions. He badly needed a hot shower and then sleep, it had been a long day and he felt very tired.

Georg climbed the stairs and went to his bedroom when suddenly he heard a thud. He turned around and there she was; Fraulein Maria in her horrible nightgown, jumping with one foot in her hands. Unable to help himself he stared at her, admiring her beauty in spite of her nightgown until he remembered it was the middle of the night and that he was quite soaked.

"Fraulein! Could you please enlighten me and tell me what are you doing? Are you trying to learn how to dance and teach my children the fine art of the waltz? " Georg spoke sarcastically, taking off his wet jacket. He fixed his eyes on the wall to avoid staring at her again.

"Captain," she blurted out in surprise, realizing he was in front of her for the very first time. She looked at him, from his hair to his feet and started to open and close her mouth without saying anything, noticing he was completely soaked "Why are your clothes so damp?"

"Isn't it obvious? I was out walking when the rain caught me!" he snapped, running a hand through his hair trying to neaten it. He pushed away the damp locks from his forehead, but sighed as he realized he couldn't do anything about it, as they stubbornly fell down again. His shirt was so wet and cold that it was like a second skin. He needed to run a bath, and soon.

"And you, Fraulein Maria, why are you sneaking away at this hour? Perhaps looking for some drapes to make play clothes?"

"I only wanted a cup of tea, but I accidentally hit my foot against the wall," she said defensively. Then added, "I didn't know I had to explain myself to you Captain." She crossed her arms around her chest like she was protecting herself from his barbs.

But then, suddenly, she smiled and cocked her head. "If I remember correctly you told me once that a Sea Captain could never control the weather but was able to predict it just by looking at the sky and clouds."

Georg closed his eyes and counted to five. If Fraulein Maria wanted to bicker this really wasn't the right night. While he was preparing to answer the governess, he sneezed. He groaned and rubbed his eyes, brushing away the raindrops that fell from his forehead into his eyes.

"Look Fraulein..."

"You should change your clothes, Captain," she said before he could say anything. "If you don't you will catch a cold"

"I never get sick, Fraulein. I'm a sea Captain, some raindrops could never harm me, water runs through my veins," he drawled, but he shivered again.

"Of course, Captain, it's quite obvious, I don't know how could I forget it" She rolled her eyes and approached him until she was so near him he could even smell her lavender soap. Suddenly, her eyes changed; the governess was looking at him with a concerned gaze.

"Do you want me to speak with Frau Schmidt and tell her to bring you a cup of tea?"

"No," Georg said brusquely, noticing how she broke contact with his eyes and started chewing her lower lip. They stood in silence and he scanned her face, stopping at her mouth. Despite his resolve, he wondered if her lips would be as soft as they seemed.

Georg blinked several times when she looked at him again, and he cleared his throat, speaking more gently this time.

"No, thank you. I'm fine. I just need to change my clothes and sleep. Goodnight Fraulein, and don't stay up too late, the children will exhaust you tomorrow if you don't rest properly."

For a moment Georg didn't move, he was too enraptured by her blue eyes. Then finally becoming aware he was staring again, he broke the spell and started to walk to his bedroom. When he closed the door, he rested his forehead against the wood, irritated that her blue eyes still lingered in his mind. How could a light blue turn into an electric blue in two seconds? When Fraulein Maria was angry her eyes displayed every shade of blue, even with some green touches, and they were just like the sea, fascinating, mysterious, captivating...

He went to his ensuite, removing his wet clothes and stepped into the shower. He shuddered, his skin was completely cold in contrast to the warm water. While he was soaping his chest he sneezed again. Cursing, he hoped it was momentary. He had never been bedridden before and he wasn't going to start now.

He put his pajama bottoms and went to bed, completely exhausted. If he was lucky he would get some sleep without waking up in the middle of the night, he needed to rest. While he was closing his eyes, once again he couldn't stop himself thinking about his governess. He drifted off into a troubled sleep with her concerned gaze and those expressive blue eyes in his mind.

Georg woke up at five o'clock in the morning like he usually did. A lifetime in the navy had shaped his character and habits, and he couldn't get rid of them. Waking up before sunrise and doing some exercise before breakfast, were ingrained into his psyche. He thought briefly of having a swim in the lake, but he still felt very tired and his body was aching. He decided to continue sleeping since he rarely had that luxury and he thought he deserved it after all the restless nights.

Georg opened his eyes again when a sunbeam shone through the window into his bedroom. He groaned, hearing his children shouting to each other and the governess trying to keep them quiet. He looked at the clock, it was almost time for breakfast. With slow movements, he got up and went to his wardrobe. His whole body felt painful, and his head was beginning to ache. Georg blamed it to the brandy, even though he usually didn't drink too much, and even less alone. He knew perfectly well what happened if he drank in his study, alone, with his grief.

After he combed his hair immaculately he left the bedroom and went to the dining room. His children and the governess were already there. He sat in his chair without saying anything, and clasped his hands, waiting for Fraulein Maria to say grace.

She looked intensely at her plate as if she didn't dare to lock her eyes with him. It was strange, normally she wasn't afraid of him and she was always straightforward and unconcerned about challenging him when they talked. Georg was so sure she was going to make a witty remark about his lateness that he felt a pang of disappointment when she remained silent. Where was his feisty Fraulein Maria? Wait, she wasn't his and never could be, he remembered bitterly.

After grace, Georg picked up his fork and stared at his breakfast. He wasn't hungry, and the little bites he had of his sausages made him feel dizzy and nauseous. He pushed around his food and drank his coffee, hoping that caffeine would make him feel better. His children were chatting happily, planning a picnic to the mountains. Sometimes they asked a question which he answered with a grunt. Their voices were making his headache worse, but he didn't say anything. He knew that some months ago he would have shouted, telling them to be quiet or sending them to study in silence. But now he had changed and he preferred them this way, laughing and smiling rather than sad and reserved.

"Captain, what happened to "breakfast is to be strictly observed"? "

There she was – his impulsive, impertinent Fraulein Maria! One second, she was embarrassed and shy and suddenly she was teasing him again. She was smiling at him, savoring the fact that she could turn the tables on him.

"A Captain is never late. He arrives when he's needed, "he said hoarsely, clearing his throat. His late excursion was clearly having consequences, much more than he had thought.

"Sir, are you all right?" He could hear the concern in her voice again.

"Papa, your cheeks are a funny color!" Gretl said loudly, increasing Georg's headache.

"It's true father, your cheeks are red," Friedrich pointed out.

Georg placed his hands on his cheeks; they were burning. He frowned and then touched his forehead. Was it possible that he was running a fever? Before he could think about it he felt a cold hand on his forehead and he grimaced with the sharp contrast in temperature. He lifted his eyes, wondering who was touching him and realizing it was Fraulein Maria. When their eyes locked she blushed, and then looked at her hand, realizing what she was doing. She quickly removed her hand, looking quite uncomfortable.

"You have a very high fever, Captain." The worry was clear in her voice.


	2. Chapter 2

Georg was staggered by her words. It seemed his worst fears were true; he was sick. It was all because last night he had been too distracted with his thoughts. That was entirely his fault. Maybe now he would learn to not think too much about his governess. He glanced at his brood and found them looking at him with concerned faces. Georg cursed under his breath, he hadn't even realized that being sick would remind them of when their mother was dying. At that moment he felt nothing but sympathy towards his children.

"Don't worry, I'm fine, it's just a fever," Georg smiled a little trying to cheer them up.

"Mama only had a fever too," Louisa blurted out, standing up and then running away from the dining room.

Georg was stunned by Louisa's behavior and decided to go after her, however, a hand on his shoulder stopped him before he could stand up.

"I will talk to her, sir. You should go to your bedroom and rest, "Fraulein Maria said, looking at him with worry in her eyes. Her tone didn't allow any room for him to argue; it appeared she was now in charge of his ship.

He wanted to answer her but he sneezed repeatedly. Georg sniffed, he didn't feel well, he was exhausted and his head was throbbing. Elsa was coming back to the villa in four days, Max had disappeared now that he didn't need a chaperone, and in two weeks he had to attend his own party. Just thinking about that gave him shivers, he had to host a party and act as he if really cared. He stopped his thoughts and got up, smiling again reassuringly to his children before going to his bedroom. As much as he hated to admit it, his governess was right; he needed to get to bed.

Maria was worried. Louisa's reaction concerned her and looking at the children she could imagine where their thoughts were: with their mother's illness. When someone was sick in the villa there was always a dark cloud around them until it was over. She knew the Captain must be quite ill because he hadn't protested with her, it was not in his nature to be so indulgent. It would be best if they postponed their picnic in the mountains.

"Liesl, could you go upstairs with your brothers and sisters? I will come up in a few minutes."

Liesl understood what her governess was trying to tell her, and in the blink of an eye, she was alone. She decided to go outside the villa, knowing Louisa would probably be scanning the garden for bugs. Finally, she found her near the lake, sitting near the gate and staring at her hand intensely. Maria approached her slowly, sitting down next to her, clearing her throat until Louisa noticed she was there.

"Hello, Fraulein," she said, without looking at her.

Of all the Captain's children, Louisa was the hardest to know. She was quite obstinate, she never showed her emotions and when she did she was sarcastic. Her character was the spitting image of her father. However, ever since Maria had been at Aigen, Louisa had let her guard down little by little and now she trusted Maria completely.

Maria didn't answer, though she stared at Louisa's hand in which she had a little bug. With a finger, the child touched the woodlouse and immediately it rolled up into a ball. If there was one thing that scared the governess it was Louisa's tendency to build walls around herself; Maria didn't want her to do exactly what the woodlouse was doing to survive.

"I'm scared...Fraulein," Louisa muttered, placing the woodlouse on the ground with care, next to the gate.

"Oh, Louisa..." Maria put an arm around her shoulder, bringing her closer, feeling Louisa relaxing under her touch "I'm sure your father will be fine..."

"What if he doesn't get well? Mama was going to recover also and..." She fell silent and gulped, before continuing, "I've never seen my father ill."

"Well, your father is a strong man, but even strong people get sick. If it makes you feel better, tomorrow you and your siblings could visit him, I'm sure he will be glad to see you, and even he will recover sooner. What do you think? "Maria grinned when she saw Louisa's nod. "Now, go with your brothers and sisters."

Louisa started to go back to the villa but then she stopped dead, turned and gave her a big hug. Maria kissed her forehead before letting her go and watched her running to the villa. Even though Maria had told Louisa she was quite sure the Captain was going to heal, there was a small part of her that was afraid of being wrong. What if...? Her stomach clenched and she stopped the course of her thoughts.

She knew the only thing that could calm her and give her some peace was talking to God. She clasped her hands, closed her eyes and prayed for the Captain's recovery as soon as possible. When she finished she followed Louisa's steps back to the villa.

The rest of the morning was spent in the schoolroom, even if the children couldn't concentrate on their studies. She decided it was best if they played outside to take advantage of the sunny day, maybe that would remove their somber faces. They played hide and seek in the garden until Frau Schmidt came outside to tell them that dinner was ready. Maria told the children to go inside and wash their hands. She saw the opportunity of being alone with the housekeeper.

"Frau Schmidt, do you know how the Captain is?" Maria asked, trying not to sound too concerned, and failing miserably.

"I have been to his room with his dinner but he wasn't very hungry. He opened his eyes a little bit, grunted, and drifted off to sleep again. I forced him to take some water and an aspirin. When he's sick he is quite stubborn. At least he's resting..." Frau Schmidt was silent for a moment then she smiled, patting Maria's arm. "I'm glad you are here Fraulein Maria, if it wasn't for you I don't know how the children would be. They must be terribly anxious, but with you, I'm sure they will calm down"

"Shouldn't we call the doctor? Just in case..."

"Doctor Meier will come this afternoon, however, I'm sure it's just a cold. The Captain is a strong man, he has suffered worse things at war." She tried to soothe her, smiling at her again before she went to the kitchen.

Maria arrived at the dining room where the children were waiting for her to say grace and start eating. The food passed in silence. Although it seemed that the children had managed to cheer up playing outside, their spirits had dropped once again. Not even Kurt, who normally was starving, appeared to be able to console himself by eating. Maria tried to make them talk, but the Captain's absence and his empty chair was a constant reminder of their sick father.

The afternoon passed slowly, with everyone in silence and the children doing different activities. Outside it was raining again and Maria pressed her cheek to the cold window, looking at the sheets of rain and listening to the gusts of wind moving through the tree branches. She stared at the raindrops going down the window and she began thinking about her confused feelings.

Ever since the rowboat incident she didn't understand her moods. For some weeks she hadn't been able to sleep properly and even if she was able to, she usually had the strangest dreams, involving the Reverend Mother, the Captain and even the Baroness. However, when she woke up she only remembered who was in her dream but not what they did or told her.

Before the puppet show, whenever the Captain spoke to her she made witty remarks, answering quickly and straightforwardly, sometimes forgetting he was her employer and she was under his care. But after he sang Edelweiss that night something had changed. When the Captain had looked at her with raw intensity her breath had caught, and she had felt her knees go weak. She had blushed and turned her face, not being able to hold his gaze.

Last night's encounter left her restless. An image of the Captain completely soaked came into her mind, and she felt her cheeks turn crimson. She could recall his mussed wet hair with some locks falling on his forehead, his sparkling eyes and his damp shirt showing his muscles. She shivered, removing her cheek from the window, feeling her skin hot even when the window was cold.

Maybe that was Reverend Mother's wanted, that Maria should know what was outside the Abbey walls before joining the Order. It had to be a test, and one she was completely sure she would pass. She had always wanted to be part of the Abbey, to be in God's service, and what better way than proving to herself that a little attraction to a man wouldn't change her dream? But what a man!

Maria pondered his complexity. Even if the Captain was sometimes obstinate and his temperament challenging for her, Maria also knew he was, as the Reverend Mother had told her, fine and brave. He was also passionate, but he had built walls around himself after his wife passed away. He only showed his tender side with his children, she could see he treasured them even if he wasn't capable of being near his brood for four years. He was very intelligent, and thanks to his aristocratic education he had refined manners. The Captain was well-read and she suspected he was a bookworm just like Brigitta. And, of course, he was...very handsome.

However, with Maria, the Captain used his sarcastic and arrogant side and it appeared he wanted to provoke her every time they were engaged in a conversation. Maria could understand somehow why, she was only the governess and he was a decorated Captain. He would never treat her in a gentlemanly manner, and warmly like he treated the Baroness, their social differences were like an ocean between them. In spite of this, there was a small part of her which would have loved to see his tender side with her.

Nevertheless, there were times in which they had civil conversations and shared interesting points of view. Those talks left her wanting to understand him, to decipher his character, to help him. If she was lucky, sometimes she would listen to one of his tales, and even a week ago he had mentioned his wife to the children. That had left her quite curious about what the Captain had been like with his wife before she died.

Maria chewed her lower lip, looking at the clock wall. Had the doctor seen the Captain? The fear that the Captain had something worse than a simple cold was still with her. She pushed away her thoughts and decided to do something to keep the children occupied. She got up from the chair and clapped her hands, drawing their attention.

"I have a wonderful idea...Let's make a new song, specifically for the party. I'm sure your father will love it and we could surprise him."

The children looked at her with excited smiles on their faces, in contrast to the somber looks they had had before. They seemed to like her idea.

"But Fraulein, Father told Uncle Max that we shouldn't sing in public," Brigitta said.

"This is not exactly in public, it's among his peers and friends. But I will talk to him and ask for his permission."

Just when Brigitta was opening her mouth to answer her, Frau Schmidt appeared. Maria felt a knot in her stomach and drew a long breath, waiting for the housekeeper to tell them what the doctor had said. She relaxed a little bit when Frau Schmidt smiled.

"The doctor has been here and after examining your father he said he only has a cold. Probably the fever will break tomorrow if he rests enough. Your father told me that you shouldn't worry and that he's fine," Frau Schmidt reassured them all before leaving the room.

In a matter of a few hours, they had already developed half of the song, with Maria encouraging them to share their ideas for the lyrics and the dance, and making everyone participate. Thanks to the good news about their father and the fun of creating the song, the children were in high spirits, and at dinner they seemed hungrier than at lunch. They even chatted more. After dinner, the children went directly to bed, tired after a day of roller coaster emotions.

Maria sighed, going downstairs after reading a book to the little ones. She was tired but she was also restless. Although Frau Schmidt had told them the Captain only had a cold, his empty chair still lingered in her mind. She decided to go outside and have some fresh air to clear her head, but when she started walking to the veranda, Frau Schmidt appeared with a tray of food. When the housekeeper noticed her, she approached Maria, relieved at finding her.

"Fraulein, I need a favor...Could you please take this to the Captain? With Cook's absence, I have a lot of work to do. I wouldn't dare ask this of you if it wasn't strictly necessary."

"I don't want to get in trouble...with the Captain," Maria hesitated. Even if she needed to know if he was better, she knew his temperament perfectly well, and maybe her presence wasn't welcome.

"He's sleeping. Just wake him up and make sure he eats at least a little bit until you leave his bedroom. Doctor Meier has told me it's very important he has proper meals." Frau Schmidt chuckled, seeing Maria's worry about making the Captain angry. "He still has a fever, he won't complain. I ask this as a favor. Tomorrow Cook will be back and I will do it personally."

"Don't worry Frau Schmidt, I'll do it..." she said quietly taking the tray, though she was still unconvinced.

She climbed the stairs and turned to his bedroom until she was facing the door. She was nervous, her heart was pounding so fast that she was sure the Captain could hear it. The situation was improper but with the Captain sick, and knowing that Frau Schmidt had a lot of work to do, she couldn't refuse. She put down the tray and knocked softly, waiting for an answer. When she knocked again she remembered the Captain was sleeping, so she opened the door carefully, not wanting to make a noise.

Inside there was a dim light from a lamp that allowed her to scan the bedroom. It was quite empty, unlike the other rooms or his study, it seemed he wanted to erase all memories leaving only the impersonal things. The Captain only had the necessary furniture: a big bed, two nightstands, and a desk in the corner. There were two doors, and she presumed one was his wardrobe and the other one was his ensuite. The only thing that showed his personality was the small model of a submarine on top of his desk.

Maria moved towards the nightstand and placed the tray. She wondered how to wake up the Captain. She glanced at him, noticing his flushed cheeks, his hair completely mussed, his lips slightly parted and his jawline covered with stubble. Watching him sleeping was quite intimate, and there was a difference between the Baron and this version of the Captain. If she had to choose she would probably pick this version in which he seemed more like a pirate than a sea Captain. Just looking at him made her heart skip a beat.

Her eyes were fixed on a lock of hair that fell across his forehead, recalling her desire from last night to put it back. Tempted, she forgot where she was and lightly touched his forehead with two fingers until she caught his smooth lock. His jaw twitched and she dropped the lock, not wanting him to catch her touching him.

"Captain...Captain?" she whispered, hoping he would wake up. When he didn't even stir, she tried louder, bringing her face closer to his. "Captain."

It had the desired effect because the Captain started to open his eyes slowly, trying to adjust them to the light. He blinked several times, at first disorientated, and a smile began forming on his face until he had a broad grin. He had never smiled at her with such tenderness and Maria was speechless, feeling her cheeks turning a crimson red.

"Do...Do you feel better Captain?" she stammered, confused at his reaction.

The Captain nodded a few times with his grin plastered on his face and Maria smiled too, at least he had improved a little. Suddenly his smile was wiped off from his face and he looked appalled. He sat up in his bed, looking at her in shock. Maria opened her mouth, wanting to break the tension that had appeared in the room when she saw he wasn't wearing his pajama top. She gazed at his rugged chest, covered with black curly hair and she noticed a big rough scar, slightly clearer than his tanned skin, which started from one of his ribs and descended to his stomach. She felt her cheeks growing hotter, quite embarrassed at finding him shirtless.

"Fraulein!"

Georg's day had passed in a blur. When he had entered his bedroom, he'd changed into his pajama bottoms and had gone straight to bed, drifting off to sleep when his face touched the pillow. He had only got out of bed twice, and it was to go to the bathroom. He spent the rest of his day sleeping deeply, it seemed that it was the only thing that made him feel better.

In the afternoon Doctor Meier, an old family friend, examined him. He couldn't recall much of what he told him, only that he simply had a cold and that all he had to do was to rest and eat properly. Georg said goodbye to the doctor and grunted. His body was aching and he shivered, cursing under his breath. Georg vowed to himself to never let his thoughts about Fraulein Maria distract him, he didn't want to get sick again. But he couldn't continue strategizing because, in a matter of minutes, he was sleeping again.

His last dream was quite vivid. He was with Fraulein Maria and the children in the mountains, watching her from afar, hearing her lovely and melodic laugh, and noticing how her blond hair shone in the sun. Then she started to twirl, with her dress moving and showing part of her pretty legs. His mouth was dry at that sight, and he couldn't drag away his eyes from her slim body when she was coming towards him. She stopped with her face near his, whispering again softly: "Captain...Captain." He felt a light touch in his forehead, giving him goosebumps.

The lavender scent made him realize her face was closer, with those big blue eyes gazing at him, and he smiled. At this distance, he could count every freckle she had, starting from her rosy cheeks and continuing to her pretty nose. Oh, she was an angel, so precious! She even had dilated pupils, and her lips were slightly parted. Was it possible that she was attracted to him?

There was a part of his mind that knew there was something wrong. He started to blink, each time faster until he realized what was happening. It wasn't a dream! He jumped until he was sitting up in his bed, moving away from her. With panic, he realized his dreams about her were getting worse each day and he had nearly lost control with the real governess because his mind was playing tricks on him.

Georg frowned, what was Fraulein Maria doing in his room? And why was she so agitated? Of course, he was shirtless!

"Fraulein! What are you doing here?" Georg blurted out with a hoarse voice. He waited patiently, but the governess didn't react. He pointed at his dressing robe on top of his bed. "At least bring me my dressing gown, Fraulein."

The Governess reacted to his words and gave him his dressing gown. Georg put it on, covering his chest entirely. Sometimes it was easy to forget she was a postulant.

"Sorry, Captain...Frau Schmidt is quite busy with Cook's absence, and she needed some help...Of course, I wouldn't dare...But I have...There's your dinner... " She stumbled over her words, trying to say something coherent.

"Fraulein!" he interrupted her. "Stop rambling. I was...worried, I thought something had happened," he lied, pausing for a moment. "I know you wouldn't come here unless it was strictly necessary."

Georg turned to look at the tray. He wasn't hungry, just glancing at the food made him nauseous, but yesterday was the last time he had had a proper meal and he had to follow doctor's orders. Perhaps he had better take advantage of the fact that he felt slightly better. Suddenly an idea popped into his head.

"Would you keep me company while I have dinner?"


	3. Chapter 3

"Would you keep me company while I have dinner?"

Georg waited impatiently for her answer, beginning to feel uncomfortable with her lack of words. He only wanted some company after a day confined in his bed, he thought defensively. It was nothing more than that he assured himself. But maybe he should learn to close his mouth before he said something embarrassing to the governess. He felt irritated at himself.

"Fraulein, at least before you go tell me what happened with Louisa and if you've talked to her," he said in a calm voice, trying to regain the control of the situation.

"Sorry, Captain I was thinking..." She ran a hand through her hair, ruffling it.

Georg stared at her hair. Was it possible that she looked even more adorable now than before? Georg wondered if he was delirious again because of the fever.

"Of course, I have to make sure you eat properly, I need to report it to Frau Schmidt." His governess spoke with a firmness that reminded him of some of the nurses in the military hospital he had once recovered in after being injured. It amused and intrigued him to see her try to take control over him.

Georg took his meal to his desk. He hated to eat in the bed and leave crumbs on the sheets; he blamed his obsession with neat and clean bedclothes to living half a life in a U-boat. As he picked up his fork, he couldn't resist teasing the governess a little, just for fun.

"You have to make sure? What if I'm rebellious and decide not to eat?" He smirked, eating bits of his scrambled eggs. "I am the Captain of this ship, remember that," he added sternly trying to provoke her.

To his delight, she took the bait. "Well, if you are the Captain then I am the Admiral," she retorted, crossing her arms over her chest. "If it's necessary I would make you eat, even if you don't want to."

Georg stopped eating, with his fork halfway to his mouth and the eggs falling on to his plate. The minx! He raised arrogant eyebrows at her, though he was thoroughly enjoying their exchange.

The governess also realized she may have overstepped her boundaries with him and she turned her head, looking intensely at the lamp. Georg couldn't help it and decided to push her a little more.

"And...ah.. how would you make me eat?" He grinned like a Cheshire cat.

"If you don't want to eat it's fine with me, Captain. Remember it's only for your own good, and I'm only here because Frau Schmidt is concerned," the governess retorted, staring at him with fire in her eyes and with her cheeks flushed.

Georg felt his ears burning, she knew how to kill the mood. Internally he was glad though because their conversation was becoming dangerously close to flirtation on his part. He had to be careful, she was under his care and a postulant, and he needed to behave like a proper gentleman, without scaring her with his remarks.

He kept himself busy finishing his eggs, deciding to take the conversation into a safe place and inquiring about his daughter. He listened to his governess as she told him about her encounter with Louisa. He did n't look at her while eating his dessert, concentrating only on her sweet and melodic voice and what she was telling him. When she finished he took his napkin and cleaned his mouth, tossing it in the tray.

"Well, Fraulein..." He got up from his chair and rested his back against the wall. His head was spinning, but he wanted some more time with the governess.

"Louisa has been always independent. When she was little she used to hide when something upset her, and if we found her she wouldn't tell us what had happened to her until she was better. She deals with pain getting angry or shutting herself, and I'm afraid she is like me. "He muttered the last words and cleared his throat before continuing.

"But I'm sure she is better thanks to you. I know my daughter and she has opened to you more than you know."

"She is scared that something might happen to you, Captain. Just as it happened to..."

"Yes, like...like it happened to Agathe," Georg said scratching his ear. Some things still were hard to say out loud, like her name, however this time he had said it without feeling unbearable pain. "It isn't the same, it's just a cold. And I've been much worse, believe me. " He put a hand on his chest, where he knew his scar was.

She was silent for a while and then she changed the subject tentatively.

"Sir," she clasped her hands together, taking some steps towards him. "What do you think about the children singing at the party?"

"What?" Georg snapped, surprised by her words.

"Before you say something, Captain, let me explain my idea to you," she interrupted. "I know what you think about your children singing in public, but it's not the same thing. At your party, there will only be your peers and friends, so it would be private."

Georg closed his eyes and rested his head against the wall, feeling his head beginning to ache again. He placed a hand on his forehead, it was burning. The fever was rising again and he didn't want to argue with her. Between being sick and Fraulein Maria near him with her intoxicating scent he couldn't think properly.

"Alright, I agree. I'll leave it to you then, but, only one song, understood?" Georg said, going to his bed and laying down, managing a brief smile. He really hoped he wouldn't regret his decision. "You are under my command, don't make me regret it, Fraulein. And now I will rest, I think I've got a fever again".

His eyelids were closing little by little, feeling exhausted, and he drifted off to sleep quickly. The last thing he saw was Fraulein Maria taking the sheet and tucking him in, whispering "good night". It felt strangely soothing.

When Georg opened his eyes again the sun was rising. He groaned, trying to turn in the bed, and finding he couldn't with his body tangled in the sheets. The bedclothes were completely drenched with his sweat, and on his forehead lay a cloth, now entirely dry. He tossed it away and ran a hand through his wet and plastered hair, feeling dirty.

Never the best patient, he felt irritable. He hated to be bedridden and so weak, he didn't like to depend on people and the last time he had to it was completely ghastly.

He was determined to do something useful and stretched his sore muscles, moaning, feeling entirely stiff. Georg decided to take a long shower and get rid of his sweat, which helped to ease his discomfort. After drying his hair with the towel, he dressed in his black suit, leaving the jacket off. While he was finishing tying the knot he heard a soft knock, and then Frau Schmidt appeared with a tray with his breakfast. She put the tray in his desk and frowned, looking down at his polished shoes.

"Sir, why are you dressed in your suit? I thought Doctor Meier told you that you should rest." She pressed her lips together, looking at him with motherly concern.

Frau Schmidt had been the housekeeper of the villa since he had been in diapers. She had taken care of all his family and always respected her employers; but more than that, she had always treated him like a son. She rarely said his name, but Frau Schmidt was one of the few people he really respected and listened to. And the look she was giving him was a disapproving one.

"I hate to be so useless. And I don't like to wear pajamas if it isn't time to sleep. I will stay in bed but properly dressed," Georg said, knowing he sounded like a petulant child, although he really didn't care.

It was a lie, of course. If Fraulein Maria returned to his room he had to be presentable, not shirtless like last night, it was a way to restore his façade. His masculine pride was happy to know she was attracted to him. Georg had noticed her dilated pupils, her unintentional stares, and how she gazed his chest last night. He wasn't stupid. However, his sensible part was shouting at him, he needed to keep his decorum and remember himself, again, that she was a postulant and wanted to be in God's service.

Georg entered his ensuite and brushed his hair, noticing his flushed cheeks in the mirror. He still didn't feel well enough and his muscles protested with every move, but he was determined to do something better than just rest in his bed. He touched his forehead, it was cold. He had improved a little.

When he walked again into his bedroom, Frau Schmidt was still there, with her arms on her hips, waiting for him.

"Well, Captain, have some breakfast and then lie in your bed, I can bring some books if you want." She stayed there patiently, waiting for an order.

"Hmp...Bring me "I Canti", please, it's on my desk. I think that will suffice, " he muttered, picking his fork and eating his breakfast.

Georg didn't finish all his breakfast but at least he had managed to eat some sausages and drink his dark coffee. After an hour he lay down on his bed, reading "I Canti". He was engrossed in the Italian book when a knock broke his concentration.

When the door opened a flash of golden hair caught his attention, and he realized it was Fraulein Maria. He closed his book and adjusted his tie knot, crossing his arms around his chest.

"Hello, Captain," she said, crossing the bedroom until she was next to the window. She seemed nervous, although he couldn't guess why "How are you?"

"I'm fine. The fever has gone down, for now. Probably in a couple of hours it will return. Until then...I'm making myself useful, refreshing my Italian." He pointed out his book and then cocked his head. "Did you want something, Fraulein?"

"I was wondering if the children could visit you, Captain"

"Absolutely not!" Georg snapped, with an angry look. "I don't feel well enough and I don't want my children picking up this nasty cold."

"Sir, you said your fever has gone down. The children could come here just for a few minutes and then go. It won't harm them and they will feel better if they see you..."

"Fraulein" Georg interrupted, not caring if he sounded cross. "No, no, and no," he emphasised.

"If you don't want anyone catching your cold, then you should have told me that yesterday because I was here, I could have picked it up." Gone was the timid and nervous governess. She was upset and furious, looking at him defiantly.

"Your children are worried about you, you should know that, Captain."

Damn, why did every conversation with her end like this? Although he loved teasing her, everything they said turned into an argument ever since the rainstorm. He felt guilty because the truth was that last night he didn't even think about his cold when she was here. It was as if he only could focus on the governess, forgetting where he was or what he should do. Of course, he didn't want her to be sick. Last night he should have done what a sensible man would have done: ask her to leave.

However, this time she was right, and he decided, for once, to agree with her. Georg scratched his cheek, embarrassed by his behavior and his outburst. He didn't want to look at her and see her disapproving glance.

"Alright, Fraulein Maria, bring my children," Georg said softly, staring at the post of the bed as it was the most interesting thing in the world.

Suddenly he was alone again, and he picked his book, trying to read something and failing miserably, replaying the conversation in his head. Then he heard his children voices, chatting and even shouting, with Fraulein Maria trying to hush them. The door opened and Gretl ran to his bed and threw herself on top of him.

"Papa, are you alright?" She said, putting her little hand on his cheek, looking at him intensely.

"Yes, schatzi, I'm fine" He kissed his hair and put her down on the floor, hugging her and Marta and ruffling Kurt's hair. "Why don't you tell me what you've been doing without me?"

Between the incessant chatting of his brood, he scanned the room, hoping to catch those big blue eyes and apologize. However, she wasn't there and he felt a pang of disappointment. Damn his stubbornness, damn his temperament, and damn everything!

Georg enjoyed spending time with his children, listening to everyone and even playing a bit with the little ones. He promised to play some chess with Friedrich and told Louisa he would ride a horse with her another day. He took extra care in being tender with them, trying to lift their spirits. While he was telling Kurt a war story, he started to sneeze repeatedly, and he shivered.

"Children, it's time to leave your father and let him rest" A melodic voice rang in the background, and his brood left the room after kissing him on the cheek.

He was alone with Fraulein Maria and he approached her, stopping when his feet were near hers. She seemed engrossed with his tie knot, and he decided to break the spell.

"Fraulein..."

"Captain..." she said at the same time, and a nervous laugh escaped from her lips.

"Tell me, Fraulein..." He said in a low voice, mesmerized by her face and forgetting all his inner promises.

"I wanted to apologize, Captain. I know you only wanted to protect your children, and all my words came out too harshly. Sometimes I'm far too outspoken. Please, forgive me." She raised her eyes to his and gave him a little smile.

Georg had a strange feeling of deja vu, and he returned her smile, shaking his head.

"Don't worry Fraulein. I'm afraid it's my fault too. We should forget this, what do you think? Let's make a truce...another one. But this time we will try to maintain it." He extended his hand, in the spirit of making peace.

Fraulein Maria looked doubtful at first, but then she extended her hand too and clasped his. It was the first time he had touched her for more than a second, and it was electric. Her hand was soft, it was better than his dreams, he didn't want to release her. Unintentionally he slowly slid his thumb on the back of her hand just to touch her silken skin a little more. But then, horrified, he realized what he was doing and dropped her hand abruptly and cleared his throat.

Her cheeks were red from the unexpected touch and she said hastily "I'm glad everything's sorted. I'll...I'll let you rest, sir" She took a step back, moving away from him. She smiled a little and before he could say anything she was gone.

Well, that improved...a little, he thought, frustrated, and returned to his bed.

Maria was still annoyed with the Captain and that hadn't improved despite his agreement to see his children. She blamed it on her lack of sleep. Last night she had tossed and turned in her bed, completely restless, incapable of falling asleep. An image of the Captain smiling at her so sweetly lingered on her mind, making it impossible to rest.

She knew he was sick, she had to be indulgent. And she probably was angrier with herself than with him, after all it wasn't his fault, he hadn't done anything wrong. She should control her tongue and think before speaking, instead of snapping at the Captain. However, when he teased her his words got under her skin easily and she hated to blush in front of him.

Maria had sent the children to visit the Captain, and she decided to stay away for a while. Walking around the bedrooms she found Bärbel, a young maid who loved to gossip. Bärbel always told her everything even if she didn't ask, and today was no exception. Maria wasn't fond of gossips, she wasn't interested, and normally she nodded to be polite, but a word picked her interest.

"...But now he has the children. When he was sick two years ago..."

"Two years ago? I thought the last time he was sick was at war" She frowned, confused.

"No, no, no, Maria...He was sick two years ago, a stomach virus or something like that" she said in a low voice. "And the children thought he was in Vienna, it was a lie, of course. I think he was a little obsessed, he didn't want to pass on his illness to them because of what happened to his wife. The Captain was in his bedroom for two days, and when he was well, he took the train to Vienna." She looked around, checking no one was listening.

"Oh...I have to go, Bärbel" Maria murmured, more to herself, walking down the hallway.

Maria felt awful. She had made a mess of everything, and she needed to apologize to the Captain. She had been insensitive, she had forgotten how sickness affected his moods, she had snapped at him when she shouldn't, and she had implicitly told him that he didn't care about her health.

She opened a little the door of his bedroom and without making noise, watched the Captain with his children. It was obvious that he had almost restored the relationship with his brood. They were clinging to him and the Captain was giving them all his attention. It was a beautiful picture; he was an attentive and caring father who only needed a push in the right direction.

When he sneezed she knew the children had to leave. Maria waited until they were alone, thinking about how to apologize to him. She wasn't brave enough to look at him, so she decided the most interesting thing in the world was his dark blue tie. A color which, in her opinion, suited him.

The conversation went quite well, though when he extended his hand she felt more nervous than she thought possible. When they clasped hands, she got goosebumps. She always thought his skin would be smooth, being an aristocrat, however, it was a little rough.

Suddenly his thumb was drawing circles on her skin and she made the mistake of looking into his eyes. She couldn't move nor breathe, not even blink. The blue depths of his eyes held her transfixed, and they were both suspended in a spell. Then suddenly, he dropped her hand as if she had burned him. Confused, she took a step backward, needing some air. Before the Captain said anything, she had flown to the schoolroom, looking for the children.

That afternoon she gave the children some spare time after working all day on the song. She left the children alone, trying to find her book in the hall when a muffled voice made her stop. She was next to the Captain's study, with the door ajar. Maria wasn't nosy, though there was an inner part of her that was quite curious. He was talking with Baroness Schraeder on the telephone.

"I'm fine Elsa, don't worry...It's just a cold...Yes, now I'm a little feverish but I have taken an aspirin...When will you return?... Perfect...Me too..." The last thing was said in such a tender voice that Maria felt her heart sink.

She couldn't listen to the rest of the conversation, feeling a knife twisting inside her. Her feet moved away from his study before someone found her eavesdropping. She went to the hall, picked up her book and clutched it on her chest, trying to catch her breath. What was happening to her? Her thoughts were in turmoil.

She decided to push her thoughts aside and went upstairs to get the children prepared for dinner. Maria was glad the Captain wouldn't join them, she needed some space without him near her.

After having dinner, she let the children play a little before going to bed. Friedrich, Brigitta, and Kurt were engrossed in a chess game, and Liesl and Louisa were reading. Marta and Gretl were coaxing Maria to read a story to them. While she was deciding which one to tell them, a shout startled her.

"Silly! Why did you do that? Now we have lost!" Kurt shouted at Brigitta.

"I am not silly! You are silly, we would have lost, anyway! Look!" She pointed the chess board, crossing her arms around her chest, angrily.

"Kurt, you don't know how to play chess..." Louisa snorted, laughing at him. "Friedrich always beats you".

"I am learning!" he replied, glaring at her. Then he said sullenly to Brigitta, "You aren't always the smartest one."

"Kurt, shut up!" Friedrich replied, standing up from his chair.

"That's enough," Maria said in a firm voice. "I think it's time to go to bed. You should learn to respect each other, it's not good to taunt anyone. No one here is silly, or more intelligent than the others, remember that."

The four seemed ashamed of their outburst and they mumbled some apologies to each other as they left the room. Liesl followed, wanting to read alone. Afterwards, Maria went to each bedroom to check on them and then entered the nursey, finding it empty. Maria frowned, wondering where were the little ones were. Suddenly the door opened, with Marta and Gretl giggling and running to their beds.

"Where were you?"

"We wanted to give papa a goodnight kiss," Marta said, giving her a toothy smile.

"Yes Fraulein, his cheeks aren't red anymore." Gretl lay down on her bed, waiting for Maria to tuck her in.

Maria smiled at them tenderly."I'm glad your father is better. Now sleep, you're quite tired" Maria touched Marta's nose and the little girl giggled again, with her eyes half closed.

Maria kissed their foreheads and left the nursery, closing the door. She sighed and decided to have a cup of tea before going to sleep. It had been a long day. Of course, she didn't expect the children to always behave perfectly, they each had different characters, after all. However, this time it wasn't the children who worried her. It was herself.

With her hot mug of tea, she sat down in one of the couches, looking through the window at the moon, and sipping her tea. After an eventful day, she had to be honest with herself. If she analyzed everything, she could easily reach the conclusion it wasn't only an attraction that she felt for the Captain. Maybe it was something more. Maybe she liked him.

Maria chewed her lip and crossed the hall, deciding to go to her bedroom, when she heard a thud. Narrowing her eyes in the dark, she tried to identify where the sound came from until she found the Captain with a hand on his head.

"Captain?"


	4. Chapter 4

"Captain"?

Maria heard a grunt as the Captain moved closer to her, rubbing his temple furiously. In the dim light of the moon, she could see the grimace on his face. He turned on the lights, groaning. When he dropped his hand from his head, it revealed a red swelling bump.

"Yes, Fraulein?" he said, irritated, raising an eyebrow.

Thank God the Captain was still dressed in his suit, if she had found him with his pajama bottoms she would have been staring at his chest again, she realized, blushing hotly at the memory.

She was curious about why was he walking in the dark instead of being in his bed, resting. However, she was aware that when the Captain was annoyed, it was best if she didn't ask too many questions.

"Would you like something for that bump? A wet cloth, maybe? It's a little bit swollen." She tiptoed to look at it better, frowning with concentration and trying to forget how close she was to the Captain, even though her heartbeats accelerated at his nearness.

"Yes...I...would like that very much." He hissed when she touched his temple lightly, jerking his head away.

Maria mumbled an apology and walked towards the kitchen. In the silence, the sound of his pristine shoes echoed through the foyer as he followed her. When she entered the kitchen, she opened a cupboard where Cook stored the cleaning supplies. She took a cloth and put it under the cold water, waiting until it was damp.

Wringing out the cloth, Maria approached the Captain, giving it to him, while being careful not to touch his skin directly. He took the cloth, lightly brushing his fingers with hers, sending a jolt through her body. He pressed it firmly to his temple, sighing and closing his eyes as he sat on a chair.

Maria opened her mouth several times, wanting to say something, but she also didn't want to disturb him. After two months she had learned how to deal with his temper; if he wanted to talk he always had to initiate it when he was in a bad mood. She sat next to him, waiting patiently until he opened his eyes and removed the cloth, looking at her.

"Thank you, Fraulein," he said hoarsely.

"You're welcome," Maria whispered. "You are still sick, Captain, adding a bump now won't help you..." She tried to tease him a little, hoping to lift his mood.

It had the desired effect because he laughed softly before he rolled his eyes.

He put the cloth on his temple again. "It was only an accident. It never happens to me, I know perfectly well the location of everything in this villa and I can usually walk around without a single light."

"But, here you can't see the stars, so navigating in the dark is quite an adventure even for a Sea Captain," she said mischievously, trying to lighten his mood.

He didn't say anything but he had a wry smile and he was looking at her with a gleam in his eyes. They fell into a comfortable silence, with the Captain's tension easing. He stretched his long legs and relaxed his shoulders as if all the weight of the world had been removed from them.

"What were you doing in the parlor? I thought you would be sleeping at this time of the night." He cocked his head to look at her enquiringly.

"Oh, I couldn't sleep. I made myself some tea and I was staring at the moonlight. It's so beautiful, I love to sit here and watch the views...and think about my mountain." She had a dreamy look on her face and smiled to herself until she noticed an odd look from the Captain. "Is there something wrong, sir?"

"Oh...nothing, Fraulein. It's the blow, I'm fine. " He averted his eyes from her face, seeming uncomfortable, wiggling his fingers.

Maria looked at his temple again when he removed the cloth. The bump was smaller and less red. "You're lucky, by tomorrow the bump will probably have disappeared."

"Yes..." He said softly, giving her a tender smile. "Thank you, Fraulein. In two days, you have taken care of me and I'm very grateful."

He paused for a long while, lost in thought, before continuing in a regretful voice. "Also….you have helped my children and shown me that I was a disastrous father. If it wasn't for you, Fraulein..." He paused again, fidgeting with the cloth. "I don't want to dwell on my failures, I'm just glad that you made me realize what I was in danger of losing."

The Captain looked at her tenderly, in complete silence, and she found herself again incapable of tearing her eyes away from his.

"You've been grieving, Captain," she said softly. "The children know that it shows how much you love their mother."

She felt her cheeks burning as he continued to gaze at her, a thankful smile on his mouth at her understanding. He cleared his throat, standing up from his chair.

"Goodnight, Fraulein," he whispered gently before leaving the kitchen.

Maria was alone, but she still felt her heart beating hard against her ribs, touched by his words. She took some deep breaths, trying to calm her racing mind. She only went to her bedroom when she was sure the Captain wasn't nearby, not feeling brave enough to face him again.

After another restless night filled with some nightmares she couldn't recall, Maria washed her face several times with cold water, hoping to clear her mind a little. Her eyes were bloodshot from the lack of sleep and her skin was pale. She looked horrible. She brushed her short hair and pinched her cheeks a little, hoping to get back some color and avoid questions about her appearance.

A loud knock startled her and she went into her bedroom, finding Marta and Gretl already up, waiting for her with smiles on their faces. They hugged her and her heart ached with tenderness for them. She held their hands, going with the little ones to wake up their brothers and sisters.

When everyone was dressed they went downstairs, chatting happily about what they wanted to do. It was a sunny day without a cloud in the sky after three consecutive days of rain.

"I would love to go to the mountain, Fraulein. But...I don't want to leave Papa alone while he's sick" Kurt said, frowning.

"He's better, but...We can wait." Friedrich agreed with his brother, looking to Liesl who nodded too.

Marta tugged her hand, complaining. "Fraulein Maria, I don't want to study today."

Maria pondered what to do. It was true that she had planned to continue with their studies and then practice the song and the dance for the party, but the Captain was still recovering. Also, they had worked very hard since she had arrived at the villa.

She smiled at them. "We'll practice the song a little more, but this afternoon you can do whatever you want."

The children cheered at her decision.

In the dining room, the Captain was already waiting for them. He had his face buried in the newspaper, grunting each time the children greeted him. He wasn't a very talkative person in the morning if he didn't drink his coffee first. Maria hid her smile, understanding where Kurt got his foul mood from when he was starving.

She admitted to herself she was a little afraid of seeing him again, their last encounter had left her quite shaken. A fearsome Captain she could deal with, but a tender Captain was something else altogether. Lately, when he looked at her, there was something different, something she couldn't name or even dare to think.

She couldn't help it and glanced at the Captain, who was folding the newspaper, sighing. He seemed distressed and troubled, and the smile he gave to the children didn't reach his eyes. She felt a little pang in her chest; how she longed to help him, to listen to him, to smooth his furrowed forehead, and even brush back that impertinent curl he had in his hair ...But she had to remind herself again that she was only the governess and he was her employer.

The Captain looked at her for the first time and raised an eyebrow, giving her a sideways smile. She noticed how handsome he looked in his charcoal suit. His cheeks were no longer flushed and the bump had nearly disappeared.

She was so transfixed with the Captain that she hadn't noticed there was one more chair next to him.

"Why is there another chair, Papa? "Brigitta pointed at the chair, then looked at Fraulein Maria questioningly.

Georg was content. This was the first night he hadn't had a fever. Although he still had a raspy cough and a sore throat, and he continued to sneeze, at least his head wasn't throbbing and his mind was clearer. Now that he had improved he could finally have his breakfast with the children again.

After putting on his suit he went to the dining room, sitting down with the newspaper. Just from reading the headlines he felt the anger building in his stomach. He unfolded the newspaper and read the rest of the article, clutching the paper, with his knuckles completely white. He gritted his teeth and felt despair for his country again. There was nothing he could do, and that angered him the most.

The children greeted him and he could only articulate a grunt, then, realizing how his mood might upset them he firmly set aside his irritation. They didn't deserve such bad treatment again. He would not let the Nazis dictate his moods and interfere with his relationship with his brood. He unfolded the newspaper and tried to forget what the article said.

Georg lifted his eyes from the newspaper and fixed his gaze on Fraulein Maria. She was thoughtful and quiet, and he wondered what was going through her mind. He smiled at her, hoping to get back his usually cheerful governess. He didn't have time to tease her a little because Brigitta had noticed what he hadn't - there was another chair.

Your mind is getting slower, old man. You didn't even notice the damn chair. Stop daydreaming about the governess for once! he thought, irritated at himself.

Suddenly, his children shouted "Uncle Max!"

He was surprised Max had returned to the villa; he thought that Max wanted to spend more time in Salzburg looking for someone to represent at the festival. Max greeted the children cheerfully and patted his shoulder, sitting next to him.

"I didn't know you had arrived, Max. When did you come, and why didn't you tell me?"

"Oh Georg, I returned last night and Frau Schmidt informed me that you were resting because you were sick. I already knew that, because Elsa had told me earlier. Although I wanted to spend more time in Salzburg, with you ill I decided to return earlier, just to help a little. " He winked at the children, giving them a knowing smile. "I also know how difficult you are when you're sick. You didn't even tell me you were bed-ridden."

"Hmm, I suspect you only want to drink my expensive wine while I'm in bed..." Georg suggested mockingly, rolling his eyes.

"Maybe, but someone has to watch you when you're bad-tempered."

Georg was agitated. He couldn't concentrate on his work. He had neglected it since he arrived at the villa a month ago, and every time he tried to concentrate he couldn't focus. But now it was worse because after talking with Elsa again on the telephone he had realized an important thing; he didn't know if he could marry her. A revelation which, in his opinion, was too late. Now he had committed to a party and he had to host it. No doubt his friends would expect an engagement announcement that night, and Elsa would too. He had made a mess of everything because he had been too preoccupied with other things and he had been pushing away his real problems.

He put his head on his hands and closed his eyes. It was too late to talk with Elsa before the party and it was too late to cancel it. He didn't want to discuss such serious things on the telephone, Elsa deserved an explanation from him at least. He had to be honest with her, he needed to tell her that although he had thought a marriage without love would suffice, now he wasn't so sure. He always knew he wouldn't be able to love her like he loved Agathe, he had talked with Elsa several times about that, but, was it fair to drag someone into a marriage on those terms? He also knew that while Elsa loved him, she wasn't in love with him. It wasn't the same thing.

He started pacing in his study, trying to calm himself. He was sure he would make a hole into the carpet if he continued walking so intensely, but he needed to order his thoughts now that he felt better.

As for physical desires, while he was a man, after all, his heart was never in it. The only time he tried it, he had felt quite detached, and it was disastrous. Fortunately, Elsa had never demanded that part of him, because if she had, Georg was sure he would have declined. There had been some stolen kisses and a few passionate embraces, but they left him cold inside.

Lately, there was something inside him changing. At first, his dreams about Fraulein Maria had been quite innocent, but now they had turned passionate. He licked his lips unconsciously, remembering the dream in a blurred way, though the end was imprinted in his mind; how his mouth had finally found hers and kissed her tentatively, not wanting to scare her, until their tongues entwined. Georg woke up at that moment, quite shaken and disturbed.

He stopped pacing and collapsed on his couch, putting a hand on his temple, where the bump was. He touched it lightly, closing his eyes and remembering her fingers brushing his skin tenderly. He admitted to himself that what he felt for the young woman wasn't only a physical desire. She was very beautiful and he could never deny that, however, there was something that he liked even more than her golden hair and her blue eyes; her personality. Fraulein Maria made Georg want to show his best side.

Also, he realized, the big differences between Elsa and Maria came out in the way in behaved with each of them. With Elsa, he was the perfect gentleman, witty and suave; but his aristocratic mask always stayed in place. However, with Maria he bickered and argued; but more than that, there was a tender part which he only showed with her. Of course, she hadn't recognized that because he knew how to hide it, though when he watched her from afar his protective and passionate side resurfaced. And he trusted her. He trusted Elsa too, but it wasn't the same. With Fraulein Maria he trusted his thoughts and his heart, just looking into her eyes he was entirely lost. He could be…himself. The real Georg.

He took out a metallic lighter from his pocket. He always carried the lighter with him even if he didn't smoke anymore. He had given up after returning from the war; Agathe had always complained about how horrible he smelled when he smoked his cigarettes. But the lighter was a present she had given him before they married and he found that it was comforting to have something from her near him.

Georg played with the lighter, lost in thought. Agathe would have been appalled at the way he had treated their babies. Hopefully, he had bonded with them again and they had forgiven him. He was doing his best to be a loving, caring and tender father the way he had been when Agathe was alive.

Suddenly the lighter slipped from his hand and he caught it before it landed to the floor. The cold metal made a sound against his ring, making him realize with a pang, another reason why he wasn't prepared to marry Elsa. Agathe. Yes, he was healing little by little, saying her name out loud didn't make him feel like his lungs collapsed, he could even tell his brood some stories of how they met or their wedding. But removing his gold worn ring was another story.

Georg wasn't ready for that, not now. Maybe in the future, he would do it, though at this moment he couldn't face it.

"Not for Elsa..." he whispered, looking intensely to his ring while caressing it with his thumb slowly, with Agathe's sweet laugh on his mind.

A knock on the door broke the train of his thoughts and Max appeared.

"Are you brooding again?" Max entered his study with a cigar in his mouth, sitting on the couch next to him.

"I wasn't brooding," he said defensively, putting the lighter away into his pocket. "I was only resting as Doctor Meier told me."

"Ha!" Max exclaimed, chuckling and shaking his head. "You were looking into the fireplace with your jaw completely rigid and wiggling your fingers. After twenty years you can't fool me."

"Max..." he said, already exasperated with him.

"Come on, Georg, you were too quiet at breakfast," Max stroked his mustache, giving him a wry smile. "Was it only your headache or were you thinking about something...or someone?"

He laughed uncomfortably, trying to divert Max's attention, but it sounded forced. His laugh died as he realized he couldn't hide much from his friend anyway. Max knew him too well.

"I was thinking about Agathe..."His voice cracked a little.

Max seemed surprised to hear the name of his late wife from his lips. He nodded, waiting for him to continue.

Georg put a finger under his lip, rubbing the smooth skin from his scar absently, before continuing.

"I was thinking of everything I've lost. First, my father when I was young, I can't even remember him...Then Werner. That was...horrible. Then my mother, the loss of Werner was too much for her." He muttered under his breath, saying bitterly, "The Navy. The sea."

He dropped his hand and shrugged. "Agathe, of course. And I almost lost my children. Almost. I've been given second chance with them, Max."

Max didn't say anything when he finished. He seemed to be pondering his words, and he put a hand in his shoulder, squeezing it lightly.

"Sometimes Georg, you think too much. Just...think about now. First of all, you need to recover, and then...we'll see," Max said carefully, smiling reassuringly at him. He took a drag from his cigar. "By the way, I noticed something very interesting. Last night I left the kitchen after eating a snack and when I was going back to my bedroom in the dark I saw two people entering the kitchen. Care to explain? "

Georg normally knew how to mask his emotions; however, this time he was glad he was sick at that moment, at least he could justify the heat he felt on his ears. He frowned and tried to brush aside his comments.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said defensively.

Max was looking at him seriously, without a hint of humor in his voice. "Georg..."

"Fraulein Maria was only helping me. I bumped my head on the wall and had a bruise. She tended to it and now you can't even notice it thanks to her. That's all."

"Georg," Max insisted. "Don't play with fire"

"I'm not playing with anything, I don't know what you are insinuating." Georg barked, furious at the implication.

"Remember it's not only your life, Georg. Be careful with what you are doing." And without saying anything more, Max gave him a pat on his shoulder and left his study.

Georg was alone again and he decided to leave his study. He was restless and uneasy after his talk with Max. He wondered how much his friend had noticed, though if he analyzed his words, the answer was crystal clear.

Hoping to distract himself now that his head didn't hurt, he thought about enjoying some more time with his children. He stopped in the foyer and attempted to guess where his children were.

A melodic voice reached his ears and he followed the sound through the villa, drawn to the sound like a magnet until he reached the schoolroom. The governess was reading a fairy tale to the little ones, and Marta and Gretl were enraptured, with their little mouths open, wanting to know what happened to the princess. Friedrich, Kurt, and Brigitta were playing chess, and Louisa and Liesl were chatting.

Georg smiled to himself, he loved to see them happier, smiling again. It was a great improvement from their watchful, fearful silence before their governess had arrived from Nonnberg Abbey.

"Papa!" Marta ran to him, hugging his waist. She looked at him with her big brown eyes and smiled.

"Yes, Marta?" Georg lifted his daughter, giving her a kiss in her hair.

"Do you want to tell us a story? Fraulein Maria is the best at doing the voices but I'm sure you can do something too." Marta smiled again, putting her little hands around his neck.

"Oh! So, you prefer Fraulein Maria rather than me..." He feigned a pained expression and tickled her sides until she was laughing. "No, I will leave that task to your governess and see what I can do with the others."

Georg put her back on the floor and approached to the chess table. He sat down next to Kurt and Brigitta and helped them to win against their brother. Friedrich was irritated at losing to his father, claiming it wasn't fair. When it was lunch time, Fraulein Maria and the children left the schoolroom, leaving him alone with Friedrich, who was putting away the chess pieces.

"Friedrich, you're very, very good at playing chess. I'm impressed," he praised, putting an arm around his shoulders.

Friedrich blushed a little after hearing his words and gave him a bright smile. "Thank you, Father."

"One day I'm sure you will beat me at playing chess, you are too smart... Come on, help your old man go downstairs, I'm hungry and I'm sure Kurt is famished." He laughed, with an image of Kurt rubbing his belly on his mind.

Georg had to stay in his study in the afternoon. After taking a pill and sleeping a little, which helped to decrease another headache, he tried to do some work again, looking at some blueprints. He avoided Max, knowing he would probably ask more questions that he wasn't prepared to answer. Luckily, the 'charming sponge' spent all afternoon with his brood, spoiling them with some chocolate and other pastries he had bought in Salzburg.

After dinner, he was physically exhausted, but his mind was quite active. It was useless to go to bed and attempt to sleep. Georg knew he couldn't do his late night walks around the garden while being sick, so he decided to do it downstairs now that no one was awake. The tiredness would help him to sleep.

He undid the knot of his tie and remove it before putting on a dark blue jumper, unbuttoning the first two buttons of his shirt. That jumper was another of Agathe's last gifts, and one he hadn't used until now. It would be enough for a cool night.

He recalled the first day he had worn it and how Agathe couldn't tear her eyes away from him. She always said blue suited him, how handsome he was in that jumper, and that she was sure one day she would have to drag away all the women around him every time he wore it. But he had reassured Agathe he only had eyes for her and then had shown her what she meant to him in private.

He smiled to himself. It was ironic how much he had pushed away his memories with his wife without realising how comforting it was to remember her. But now he had learned the lesson after four years of grieving.

When he approached the foyer he narrowed his eyes. A door was slightly open, and even in the dim light of the lamps, he knew it was the ballroom.

He opened the door slowly. His breath caught when he saw the silhouette of a young woman on the floor with her legs crossed and a mug in her petite hand.

As if in a dream, he went in, closing the door without making a noise. His heart raced at the thought of being alone again with her. Although his mind was trying to reason with him to convince him it was a bad idea, he had lost the battle a long time ago.

When he was near, Fraulein Maria jumped in surprise when she saw him, and she looked wary. It made him feel protective of her, but also regretful of his reactions to her when they first met.

The governess faced him with her big eyes, looking at him expectantly. He knew what she was thinking, and before she could even open her mouth he raised a playful finger, looking down at her.

"Don't worry Fraulein, I'm not mad at you for disturbing my ballroom..." he teased, raising an eyebrow. "I've noticed you like this room, I always find you here."

She relaxed and sipped from her mug and put it carefully on the floor, clasping her hands before looking at him again.

"It's a lovely room, Captain. And now that the maids have cleaned off the dust I can definitely say that this is the most beautiful room at the villa." She gave him a bright smile and scanned the room, appreciating the gold ornaments. Georg stared at her face, admiring her beauty in the dim moonlight as she was studying the chandeliers.

"Fraulein, maybe you should stand up if you don't want to catch a cold. Imagine poor Frau Schmidt; she has to deal with me and if we add you... I'm sure you would be a terrible patient too," Georg said, extending a hand to her.

The governess cocked her head, surprised that he was offering help. She hesitated a little before she took his hand and stood up, next to him. In the same way as the day before, Georg had goosebumps just from touching her silky skin. He was sure it would feel quite good to interlace his fingers with hers, but he hastily let loose her hand before he did something stupid.

"I'm not so stubborn..." she put her hands on her hips, shaking her head.

Georg noticed a gleam in her eyes and he decided to push it a little more "Ah ah...But if you hate to be confined in the same space for one hour, imagine what it would be like if you were forced to stay in your bed." He smirked, interrupting her before she was ready to fire back. "Remember our truce, Fraulein."

Fraulein Maria frowned, clearly irritated at not being able to answer him back, and Georg decided to change the subject before they ended up bickering again.

"In the past, these doors were always open. We used to spend rainy days here, the children loved it. They even played war games under the tables saying it was a U-boat," he said softly.

Suddenly an idea came into his mind and Georg turned to the French doors, opening them.

"Look at this, Fraulein."


	5. Chapter 5

"Look at this, Fraulein."

Maria tentatively walked towards the Captain, unaware that he was looking at the night sky with his hands in his pockets. She scanned the courtyard, surrounded by leafy trees and bushes. It was the first time she could admire it closely and not from behind the French doors. She was so engrossed with the courtyard that she almost failed to see his hand, pointing at the sky.

"What do you think about this, Fraulein? Isn't it beautiful?" He asked softly. "I learned how to navigate using the stars when I was in the Navy." His voice was filled with nostalgia. "Over there is the Andromeda constellation and there is the Pegasus constellation. Can you see the legs of the horse?" He pointed out the outline, leaning down a bit so he was level with her.

His rich, deep voice was near her ear and Maria shivered. She felt nervous and self-conscious near him, she could even smell his aftershave and his unique scent. Suppressing another shiver that had nothing to do with the chilly night she nodded, crossing her arms around her chest like a shield. Perhaps it would be better if she could steer the conversation to safer ground.

"Are you going to lecture me about the stars, Captain?" she asked lightheartedly.

"I wouldn't dare, Fraulein. You would try to find a fault in what I say and I don't want to break our truce." He chuckled, looking at her.

"What a pity. I also hoped you could teach me how to navigate through your house with the lights off." She teased him, remembering his bump.

Maria heard a half-amused, half-annoyed snort, sometimes she knew how to get under his skin. Rather than the sky she looked around and examined the courtyard closely, from the beautiful paving with brown patterns to the delicious scent of roses that filled her nostrils. She closed her eyes, imagining how it would be to dance here, under the moonlight, with someone special. An image of herself dancing with the Captain crossed her mind and she opened her eyes, alarmed at her own thoughts. Her heart was pounding furiously, and she tried to compose herself when the Captain spoke again.

"I don't know if we will open the courtyard that night. I'm afraid I know nothing about the organization of the party." He scratched his ear, shrugging.

"Nothing, Captain?" she frowned, quite surprised at his confession. She thought that a man like him, who liked to be in control would want to know everything about it, especially since it was being held at his home.

"I despise parties and balls, Fraulein. The truth is that I'm a simple man. I like to be in my villa, surrounded by mountains and my lake. It would be even better if Austria hadn't lost its seacoast and I had my sea nearer." He paused, and Maria could see his eyes darkening for some seconds when he mentioned the sea. He recovered quickly and added. "However, I'm perfectly content here, without endless parties and glittering salons."

The Captain seemed thoughtful, and then added. "But it would be good to open this ballroom again and let the fresh wind enter and change the air."

"Did you and your wife host a lot of parties, sir?" she blurted out, without realizing it.

Maria chewed her lower lip the moment she mentioned his wife. It was true that the Captain was healing little by little and he shared some stories with his children about their mother, but he had never mentioned his wife to her. She sighed at her impulsiveness. Just by looking at the Captain and his clenched jaw she knew she had hit a sore spot. Obviously, he still found it difficult to talk about her.

"Fraulein!" he said harshly. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Sorry, that was out of place."

"No, sir, it was my fault, I shouldn't..." She babbled, trying to apologize to the Captain.

"Fraulein." He interrupted her, more gently, looking at the trees. "Don't worry."

Maria was distressed and worried about how she had killed the mood with her words. She was fearful of looking at the Captain and finding he was angry with her. She lifted her eyes, slowly, stopping at his face.

Even in the dim light of the moonlight, Maria could admire his patrician profile, starting from his rich, luxuriant hair and ending with his square jaw. She lingered on his mouth but when she realized that, she immediately looked down at his chin before he could find her staring at his lips.

Maria gazed at his jaw, noticing the rough skin under his lower lip. She wondered how he got the scar on his chin, if it would feel smooth or rough under her fingers. Just like the scar of his chest, it represented a mysterious Captain. In spite of having an aristocratic upbringing, he had not led a sheltered life. He had obviously been physically wounded several times. But what him even more inscrutable than that was that he kept his emotions under strict control. He had built walls to protect himself from a torment that was far more difficult to endure than a mere physical pain. She reflected on the fact that both of them had wounds that they closely guarded. In her case though, she had used music to survive.

She sighed, feeling something warm in her stomach after gazing at the Captain. Maria wanted to break the silence, though just looking at him again she knew he was brooding and it was entirely her fault. In contrast to two nights before, she decided to speak to him. When he was angry it was better to wait until he was ready to talk; however, when he was brooding it was best to engage him in a conversation before the spiral of his thoughts dragged him into a dark mood. Maybe she could fix the mess she had created.

"Captain, the children are working very hard on the song for the party. I think you will be satisfied with the results," Maria said cheerfully, hoping to break his reverie.

He didn't answer back, he didn't even move or shift. He was so absorbed that it seemed he hadn't heard her. Suddenly, the Captain surprised her, speaking with a tender voice, his thoughts far away as he answered the question she had asked earlier.

"We had a big party every year...It was expected. Her family was quite important and famous, and I was made a Baron after the war. She was the perfect hostess, very charming, with refined manners. Perfect. I used to despise parties...I still do, though I've learned to make it tolerable."

Maria was shocked. She would never have thought the Captain would speak about his wife, at least not to her. She had always been very curious but she had never asked questions, not even to the children. She always waited until someone mentioned her. With the small bits of information she had, she had made her own picture of the Baroness von Trapp and the life they had together.

Knowing how difficult it was for him to even say her name, Maria decided to not push the conversation and remain in silence until he continued.

She didn't have to wait long.

"But after...Well..." The Captain gulped, before continuing. "After Agathe passed away the ballroom has been closed. Until now"

"She must have been an extraordinary woman," she murmured, looking at him gently.

"Yes, she was," he breathed, with a tender look. "Agathe...was everything to me. Imagine it, Fraulein. You can live having what you want in your life but have no reason to live. There's a difference. You can live, but feel dead inside. And that's what happened to me," he said, bleakly, without tearing his eyes away from her face.

"Of course, I was sad when the Austro-Hungarian Navy disappeared. But I had my wife and we had our seven beautiful children. I was happy, in spite of what had happened. I had a reason to live. That ended when my wife died…But I forgot that my children were still here, with me, and that they needed me."

She noticed the past tense, and she wondered if Baroness Schraeder had a big part in that. The pang in her chest intensified and she chastised herself for being selfish. If the Captain was happy, she was happy. Maria had been sent there to prepare the children for a new mother and to help their father to reforge his relationship with his brood, not to notice how handsome he was, or to like him, or to dream about him, or to feel sad when he talked about Baroness Schraeder.

Maria gulped and fixed her gaze to his ear, not being able to look at his eyes. She said quietly, "There's no need to torture yourself, sir. The children have almost forgotten the way you were with them before."

The Captain gave her a grateful smile, but then he wrinkled his nose, taking out a handkerchief from his pocket and sneezing. Maria remembered he was still sick, maybe it was time to go back inside.

"Captain, let's go inside before you get worse." She spoke firmly without leaving room for him to protest.

Once they were inside the Captain closed the French doors, Maria fidgeted with her fingers. They should go to their respective bedrooms and rest before someone found them, but she wasn't ready to say goodbye to the Captain. She felt so comfortable talking with him, and after all the private things that he had revealed she felt a closeness to him.

"You told me before that my children were working on the song. Would they sing here?"

"Oh Captain, it's a surprise!" She smiled playfully.

"But I'm their father, Fraulein. Shouldn't you tell me something, a glimpse?" He pretended to frown, teasing her.

"Even less, Captain. It's a surprise for your guests, and especially for you. They have been worried about you and it has helped to distract the poor dears."

Maria smiled tenderly, thinking about the children. "We've had so much fun working on the song and the dance and it's given me a chance to get to know them even better. Your children are very intelligent and well educated, each one is different but unique in their own way."

"Yes, you are right, Fraulein," he said with remorse, sighing. Maria was sure the Captain would need some time to forgive himself.

They fell into silence again as they walked towards the foyer. After the Captain closed the ballroom doors they went upstairs. When they arrived at her bedroom Maria gripped the door handle, suddenly nervous.

The Captain seemed to notice because he gave her a warm smile. "Fraulein..."

"Yes, Captain?" she murmured, looking into his eyes.

He opened his mouth, as if he was about to tell her something but something shifted in his eyes. He paused and then he shook his head, slightly. "Goodnight." He whispered, smiling again before he went to his bedroom.

Maria took a deep breath and entered the room, closing the door, she rested her back on the wood. Again, her heart was pounding fast against her ribs after talking to the Captain. She needed some time alone after their encounter, to analyze everything they had talked about.

Her thoughts were in turmoil. There was a part of her which was determined to become a nun. The Abbey was the only family she knew. On the other hand, she wondered if she was making the right decision because of her confused feelings for the Captain. Her dream had always been to become a part of the Abbey, but, could she do it now that she had realised she felt something for him? Would that interfere with her desire to serve God? Would her feelings die down someday?

After finally seeing a glimpse of how passionately he loved his wife, she now understood why his grief had changed him completely. She wondered what it would be like to be cherished, to have someone who cared deeply about her, to be loved so intensely like the way the Captain loved Agathe von Trapp.

With a heavy heart, Maria decided those things weren't for her. Dwelling on love and feelings when she had never fallen in love was nonsense. She put on her nightgown and said her nightly prayers. But with her thoughts still troubled, she feared she was going to have another restless night.

Maria sat in the dining room with the children, waiting for their father. She was completely exhausted because she hadn't been able to sleep. The children had noticed she was tired and they even asked her if she was alright. Maria simply smiled and before she could change the topic, Frau Schmidt appeared.

"The Captain left earlier. He had some business to attend, and he told me to expect him this afternoon."

The children looked at her, taken aback. It must have brought back memories of the four years when their father had neglected them. They looked anxious, as if afraid of losing him again.

"Don't worry children, that means he is feeling better. If you want, this afternoon you can ask him to play with you." Maria reassured them, lifting their spirits.

The children and Maria spent their morning practicing the song. She was quite proud of how fast they learned. They were very good at music, like their father. Since they already knew most of the song and parts of the dance. Maria decided to give them a free afternoon, and they decided to play hide and seek in the garden.

Maria was on the stairs, looking out at them but feeling quite drowsy. After so many days without sleeping properly, she was starting to feel the consequences. With luck she would sleep better tonight. Her eyelids were closing little by little when she heard someone clearing their throat. She hastily opened her eyes and stood up, startled.

"Herr Detweiler!"

"Good afternoon, Fraulein! Have the children already exhausted you?" He stroked his moustache, smiling.

"Not at all, Herr Detweiler. I love to play with them but today I preferred to sit a little." Maria smiled, looking sideways at the children.

He shook his hand, narrowing his eyes. "Don't try to fool me, Fraulein. You are very pale and it looks like you haven't slept. Has that old Captain tired you with his demands? I know he is a stubborn patient."

"Oh, no!" She said quickly. "He has been a good patient."

"Hmm...I suggest you go upstairs and take a nap, Fraulein. You should rest."

"No, Herr Detwiler, I appreciate it but it's not necessary. Thank you."

"Fraulein...You won't help the children if you sleep in every corner you rest in, and you might get sick yourself. I'll take care of them." He insisted, smiling at her again.

A deep, rich voice interrupted them. "And I agree with him."

The Captain stood next to Herr Detweiler. He looked much like his old self, with his impeccable suit and his combed hair. But he seemed different to the Captain she had talked to yesterday. His blue eyes were looking at her in a completely detached manner. She felt bewildered by the change in him.

She was ready to protest about going to rest when the children saw their father and ran towards them, clinging to him like they hadn't seen him in days.

After kissing foreheads and ruffling hairs, the Captain looked at his brood with tenderness and love in his eyes. "I have some pastries for you for tea time. What do you think if we eat them and we give your Fraulein a little time to rest?"

"Is there a pastry for Fraulein Maria, Papa?" Marta asked in a shy voice.

"Of course, and she will have it after she rests a little."

"But..."

Gretl was interrupted by Liesl, who was looking at her Fraulein with a concerned gaze. "Gretl, Fraulein Maria needs some time on her own. We will take care of her pastry, don't worry. Let's go and see what Father has bought us."

"It's decided then. I'm sure your father has some delicatessen for me, and frankly, I'm hungry!" Herr Detweiler rubbed his hands with a wry smile, making the children laugh.

Maria didn't have the energy to protest because she realized she needed to get some sleep. She mouthed her thanks to Liesl, who smiled back at her before leaving the veranda with her brothers, sisters and Herr Detwieler. Maria was left alone with the Captain.

"Thank you very much, sir. I will only need some hours rest before I'm refreshed." She gave him a grateful smile.

"Whatever is necessary, Fraulein," he said in a cool voice, giving her a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Now, if you will excuse me..."

Maria was puzzled by his behavior and hurt more than she cared to admit. Why was he so distant with her? Was he regretting that he had confided in her? She tried to remain her usual positive self even though the pain was there. At least it was only with her that he was distant, and not with his children. She rubbed her eyes, going to her bedroom, and when she lay on her bed and closed her eyes she fell asleep immediately.

Maria woke up disorientated, without knowing where she was or what time it was. It was darker outside, and she looked at the clock, realizing she had slept more than two hours. She felt rested and invigorated after sleep. She would not allow herself to dwell on the Captain's abrupt change in behaviour. After changing her clothes and washing her face she looked for the children.

The villa was in silence, something which was very unusual with seven children. She didn't find the children in their bedrooms or in the schoolroom, so she went downstairs until she saw the Captain, sitting on the couch, completely engrossed in his book. While she didn't want to disturb him, she needed to know where the children were.

The Captain lifted his eyes, looking at her with the same indifference as before. She felt the ache of it in her chest. Only four days ago she had seen him vulnerable, when he had let down that facade he put up to keep the world at bay, but now she was facing Baron von Trapp again, safe behind his aristocratic mask.

Only yesterday he had opened his heart. Maria was sure he had never done that before. He was a complicated man. She understood that his dark moods and his temperament were also part of the real Georg, not the Sea Captain or the Baron von Trapp.

But this new distance with her reminded her of the way he had been before the rowboat incident. She tried to hide her distress at the way he had changed so suddenly, but she wasn't as good as he was at sheltering from hurt. She swallowed hard, feeling the anguish of being shut out.

Maybe she had been a fool believing they were some sort of friends.

Georg had been all day quite busy. After waking up and feeling completely well, he had done some exercise as he usually did, before leaving to go to Salzburg. It was time to continue with his business and financial transactions before the Anschluss came.

Having the morning to himself had given him the opportunity of reflecting on his behavior towards Fraulein Maria over the past days. He realized he may have misled her by showing her his vulnerabilities, and he needed to regain some distance from her. Yesterday he had surprised himself by talking to her about deeply private things and what was in his heart. He never did that with anyone, except with Agathe, because he prided himself on remaining aloof. But there was something about Fraulein Maria. When she was next to him he ended up revealing things he never talked about with others.

Yesterday when Fraulein Maria mentioned Agathe to him, he felt like he couldn't breathe. But the shocking thing was, it wasn't because he felt the unbearable pain of talking about her, but because he felt guilty. Guilty because he felt something similar to what he felt for Agathe. Guilty about letting Agathe go, when his heart had been always hers. Guilty because he promised himself to always cherish Agathe in his heart, and never to not fall in love again. He felt as if he was betraying Agathe in so many ways.

Also, he had realized the governess was aware of their growing attraction and closeness. Georg was convinced she still wanted to pursue her dream to be a nun, so he had to stop playing with fire for both their sakes. Even if it hurt him to pretend to be detached he would have to do it.

So when he had gone to the veranda and found his children with the governess he had been completely polite with her. While he had seen the confusion in her eyes, he was sure in the end she would understand why he was doing it. It was for her benefit, he repeated to himself determinedly, steeling himself against the hurt he was causing.

The children had left to Salzburg with Max as they had talked about that morning and he decided to stay on the couch, feeling quite relaxed. He was reading a book, even though the silence unnerved him after being used to seven restless children. When he heard some steps near him, Georg already knew it was the governess because his nostrils were filled with her delicious lavender scent.

"Hello, Captain. I don't want to interrupt you. It's strange to have the villa in complete silence," she said.

He noticed how her sleep had helped her, she had gained some color in her cheeks.

"The children are out with Max in Salzburg, Fraulein," he said nonchalantly, closing the book.

"Why, Captain?" Maria frowned and looked at him like she was trying to understand why he was so cool again with her. Perhaps the question was a lot deeper than why the children had left with Max.

He raised an eyebrow, and answered as if he was simply talking business. "Well, I've been talking to Max and we decided to give you the afternoon off. After all, you've been working very hard with my children and if I'm not wrong I haven't given you a day off since you arrived at the villa."

The governess seemed embarrassed with his answer. "I... appreciate that very much, Captain, though it wasn't necessary. I love to be with the children."

"Nonsense, Fraulein. You've practically taken care of me while I was bedridden, and I'm not a good patient. You deserve to relax a little; seven children and an old Sea Captain can be quite exhausting." He pointed out the couch. "Sit down if you wish, Fraulein"

She murmured her thanks and sat quite far from him. After some seconds in silence, she teased him like she used to do. "You are not old, Captain, just...older than some people."

"Oh, what are you implying? Better not to ask..." He muttered a little bit annoyed, looking away from her. If he was completely honest, her words had hurt his pride, after all, he was in his forties and she was just a few years older than Liesl.

When he looked back at Fraulein Maria he saw the hurt in her eyes. He felt an uncomfortable twist in his stomach about causing her distress. But still, it was better to get their relationship on a more neutral footing now, rather than having even bigger regrets later.

"The truth, Captain, is that...I don't really know what to do with a day off." she whispered, looking at the floor intensely.

"What did you usually do at the Abbey?" he asked, softer than before, forgetting for a moment that he should keep his curiosity about her under control.

"Work, pray, eat and...work. I didn't have days off, but sometimes when I was on my mountain I would sing and run until it got quite late." She smiled a little remembering her mountain.

"You were quite...the rebellious type. Now I understand why you told me you were trouble," Georg tried to joke.

But his joke didn't have the desired effect because she flinched like he had hit a sore spot. The silence became tense, and Georg cursed inwardly for being so insensitive. He should have distanced himself from her without initiating conversations that could end disastrously.

"I fear you're not the only one to think that, Captain" Her voice was sad when she spoke. "I think Sister Berthe, Sister Margarette, and even the Reverend Mother think that the Abbey doesn't suit me."

Georg closed his eyes for a second, chastising himself for causing her more disquiet. "No one behaves perfectly, but we are always learning to do better, Fraulein."

"Sometimes I have my...doubts about it, sir."

Georg felt angry with himself for making such a mess of their conversation. It was better to leave his cold demeanor just for once and fix the damage he had done with his words. He couldn't leave her hurt because of him.

"Everyone has doubted their own decisions but that doesn't mean they don't want to do it. It's human to doubt, but when you really want something you know it."

"You're probably right, Captain. In every path, there are some tests. But I 'm determined to pass them and become a nun." She sounded more confident.

"Well said, Fraulein..." He said softly, smiling.

Looking at her beautiful blue eyes, Georg remembered his lovely Agathe and the sacrifices she had made for him. She knew his life was the sea, and she respected his desire to serve his country. Agathe wanted him to be happy, and she knew if he was at home doing nothing while his peers were at war he would be unhappy. However, that wasn't entirely true. Georg had realized, too late, that the while the Navy was his life, Agathe was his reason to live.

Even if Georg thought a cloistered life didn't suit Fraulein Maria, he wasn't going to question her decision. She had doubts, something normal in her situation, however, if she decided not to become a nun it had to be entirely her own decision.

"Do you have any wishes before you leave us?" Georg said, trying not to think about the void that would be left when she returned to the Abbey.

She cocked her head, thinking about his question. "I always loved to dance. But there's only been once that I have had the chance of doing it."

"With a proper partner and not an invisible one? "He chuckled, remembering her bowing when he opened the ballroom doors.

"With a proper one," she said, a little sad. "I know it will be impossible for me to dance before I enter the Abbey, but at least I will see a glorious party before I return to Nonnberg."

She smiled. "I love to dance, it's magical, like you're becoming part of something unique."

"Dance...?" He repeated softly, too transfixed with how her eyes glowed when she talked about dancing.

"Yes...Sir."

He didn't notice that they now were sitting closer, with his arm resting on the couch and their knees almost touching. They fell into a comfortable silence, until a very familiar voice echoed through the foyer, breaking their reverie.

"Georg? Where are you, dear?"

Georg cringed inwardly, recognizing Elsa's voice. It appeared she had come back from her trip to Vienna and was looking for him. How could he have forgotten her? It seemed he wasn't the only one because the governess was pale, like she had seen a ghost. He didn't have time to react because suddenly Elsa was at the door, looking at them with a strange expression as if she was trying to determine what were they doing together, alone, in the parlor and seated close together.

Elsa gave him a forced smile, though her eyes were mistrustful. He got up casually and approached her, kissing her chastely on the cheek. He returned her smile, his usual aristocratic mask back in place.

"Welcome back Elsa. Did you have a good trip?"

Elsa relaxed, placing her hands on his shoulders.

"Oh Georg, do you feel better?" she asked, looking at his face and frowning. "Illness doesn't suit you, Georg, you look a little disheveled. Don't you think so, Fraulein Maria?"

Her last words were said with an edge of venom, before smiling softly. Georg knew Elsa was suspicious and had definitely seen something between them. Max's words repeated themselves in his mind. He had to admit that the 'charming sponge' had been quite right about what he had said earlier.

Georg smiled sheepishly and shrugged, noticing Fraulein Maria was walking past them. She looked back for just some seconds before she left. Even if she tried to hide her emotions she was a terrible liar, and her face had expressed such despair that he felt a lump in his throat.

Elsa encircled one arm with his and they walked outside towards the lake. Although Elsa was telling him all about her trip, he was only half listening, knowing that she was also thinking about what she had just seen. Georg wondered what was going through her mind, but he didn't dare to ask her. When they arrived at the gate they stood staring at the lake, admiring the lake shimmering with the sun and the changing colors of the sky with the dusk.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" He murmured, trying to break the awkward silence that had fallen after she finished telling him about her trip.

"Hmmm. As I told you once, I don't know how you can leave this place and go to Vienna. You look happiest here, in your habitat." Elsa faced him, and lit a cigarette, blowing out a puff of smoke.

"I thought you couldn't abide being bedridden. All that needless worrying" She smirked.

"Well, I'm a terrible patient but it was just two days." He chuckled lightly.

"Oh Georg, it is good to be back here. However, I have the most spectacular dress for the party. You will love it."

"Oh ho, what kind of dress?" He asked, trying to sound interested.

"Don't be so inquisitive, you know I can't tell you...You will have to wait patiently, my dear." She smiled seductively, running a hand along the lapels of his jacket. "Patience is a virtue."

Elsa was very close to him. He smelled her expensive but overpowering perfume; a mix of roses which lingered in his nose. It was different from the lavender scent of Fraulein Maria, which was quite natural and soft. He stared at her eyes, she was looking at him like she was seeing something new in him. Something shifted in her eyes and she removed her hands from his jacket.

"Well, I'm tired and I would love to change my clothes before dinner. I'll see you later." She gave him a peck in her check smiling softly and left him alone.

Georg took a deep breath, closing his eyes and gripping the gate with his hands. He felt completely trapped with everything, and he seemed to be able to do nothing but make everything worse. He had hurt Fraulein Maria without intending to, and now Elsa was angry and suspicious.

Just thinking about the ball, he felt like a rope was gripping and suffocating him. He had to fix this mess but he was entirely lost. It was ironic that he had spent a life underwater being in full command, sinking ships and trying to survive, and yet one woman was driving him crazy, turning everything, he had built up upside down.

Georg took out the lighter that Agathe had given him, from his pocket and clutched it. Touching it lovingly, he realized he had had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of loving a woman with great passion and devotion. It was highly improbable he would have another chance. Although it was true he was starting to feel the same way as he had when he had first met Agathe, he wouldn't call it love. But he admitted it was stronger than mere attraction.

However, Georg was a man in his forties and love was for young people without patched souls like his. If he distanced himself he would prevent something catastrophic from happening. He promised himself he would talk with Elsa after the party. Whatever happened he had decided he would not drag her into an unhappy marriage.

And about Fraulein Maria...He would respect her wishes and dreams, even if it broke his heart a little. He would remain aloof with her, he would brick up his walls with her, and he would do that to protect her, not wanting to confuse her more. He would stop teasing and pushing her. He would be polite, a perfect gentleman, and his only transgression would be admiring her from afar, in silence. If he could, he would grant her last wish before she was cloistered at Nonnberg. She deserved it after everything she had done.

Not only that was his problem. Today the newspaper had reminded him that things were getting worse with the Nazis. Georg had been transferring his money little by little to other accounts and he was determined to get away from his beloved Austria if necessary, for his children's sake. But, what would happen with Fraulein Maria if the Anschluss become a reality? Would she be safe at the Abbey? Would she be protected behind those walls? He felt the chill of worry about her and the familiar rage of not being able to control the course of events.

Georg knew he had to stop the direction of his thoughts and breathed deeply. He didn't want to go back to the villa in a dark mood, so he focused on the landscape. A gust of wind ruffled his hair, making some locks fall on to his forehead. Georg ran his hands through his hair, putting the locks back. Only when he had composed himself and the Baron von Trapp was back in place, he walked towards the villa,, leaving behind the gathering dusk.

Georg was sure of only one thing...Nothing was going to be as before.

Fin.

To be fainthearted, to be bold, possessed,

abrasive, tender, open, isolated,

spirited, dying, dead, invigorated,

loyal, treacherous, venturesome, repressed.

Not to find, without your lover, rest.

To seem happy, sad, haughty, understated,

emboldened, fugitive, exasperated,

satisfied, offended, doubt-obsessed.

To face away from disillusionment,

to swallow venom like liqueur, and quell

all thoughts of gain, embracing discontent;

to believe a heaven lies within a hell,

to give your soul to disillusionment;

that's love, as all who've tasted know too well.

F. Lope de Vega.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was my first TSOM story (XXIX / IV / 2019)
> 
> Special thanks to bloomandgrow
> 
> I don't own TSOM


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